10 Tips to Becoming the Best Writer You Can Be
Here are a few tips that really helped me as I wrote First Visions. Some of the tips you may
have heard time and time again, but they really do work.
Tune Out Everyone’s Voice in Your Head
I unfortunately put way too much thought in what other
people think. This can really make your story suffer if you’re constantly
wondering over other’s reactions. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Even if it
doesn’t work out, at least you know you put yourself out there.
Get Organized
Whether you’re old school and use a notebook for
organizational purposes or rely on a program like Scrivener, staying organized
while writing can be extremely helpful. As an example, I keep both an outline
and character descriptions close at hand while I write for quick reference.
Just Write
If you obsess over every single word you put on paper, you
may end up sacrificing some of your creative energy. This is where free writing
exercises can be very helpful. Browse writer’s blogs and you’re bound to come
upon some free writing topics and exercises you can tackle.
Don’t Be Afraid to Hit the Delete Button
Getting rid of stuff that just isn’t working is a must.
Don’t be afraid to cut huge chunks out of your novel. Save each previous draft
and if end up having use for the scenes down the road, so be it.
Walk Away for Awhile
I once heard a reference that writers have a tendency to
have beer goggles on while writing. You may love every single word you write
one night, but then wake up the morning and wonder what the hell you were
thinking. Fresh perspective can definitely help you become the best writer
possible.
Don’t Lose Yourself in the Editing Process
Feedback can be very helpful in the writing process, but
opinions are subjective. What works for one reader may not for another.
Although you may be inclined to change certain aspects based on a single
opinion, wait until you get more input. As an example, an editor I spoke with
wanted me to make my main character in First
Visions “nicer” and gave me examples of what a “good” woman would and would
not do. I think if I followed her advice, I would’ve ended up with a dreadfully
boring story.
Show Don’t Tell
This is probably one of the helpful pieces of advice I
received during the editorial process. Use dialogue and the character’s actions
keep the story moving. Wordy descriptions can end up hurting the pace of your
novel.
Read Everything You Can Possibly Get Your Hands On
My husband will laugh at me when he sees me reading a trashy
magazine or book and I tell him I’m working. Being well read can enhance your
vocabulary, improve your grammar and help you find inspiration for your work.
Stick to a Routine
I have two boys under five which makes finding the time to
write exceedingly difficult. Each night after they go to bed, even if I’m not
in the mood, I’ll write at least something.
Get Rid of the Distractions
I’ll be in the middle of writing a pivotal scene when all of
a sudden my phone will ring or my inbox will chime. Or I’ll receive a text from
my sister stating I have to go on Facebook right now and look at this raunchy
picture posted by so and so. A good piece of advice I heard before is to write
on a computer without internet access.
Two
years ago, 21-year-old Kate Edwards became deathly ill and slipped into a coma.
While unconscious, she crept into the mind of a missing boy and awoke with the
knowledge of his location. Friends and family were skeptical and wary of her
new ability to see into the minds of others. Their fears prompted Kate to keep
her psychic powers a secret. Feeling alienated, she dropped out of college and
spent most of her days holed up at her mother’s home.
Now
another child has been abducted. Police detective Jared Corbett seeks out Kate
for her help in solving the case. Reluctantly, Kate agrees and they must work
together to bring 8-year-old Cori Preston home to her family. Although
attracted to one another, Jared has a girlfriend with ties to the abduction
case and Kate is sarcastic and guarded since her coma. With visions she can’t
control and an uncontrollable attraction to the detective, she wonders if she
can leave the past behind and finally stop hiding from the world. Otherwise,
Cori may be lost forever.
Nicole's Review:
I enjoyed this story. I especially enjoyed Kate. Her voice was spot on. I also liked Jared's character. The hint of the paranormal with her psychic powers was a great touch. I loved how everything was tied up at the end but there's room for more stories to. A delightful, sweet read. Overall, this was a very good book.
Book Excerpt:
Jared picks up Kate
when she becomes stranded after a disastrous date:
Kate shifted in her seat and wondered how much she
should confess about her night with Sebastian. Her inebriated tongue may end up
revealing too much to Jared and she could find herself admitting how she
couldn’t stand to kiss Sebastian because she was falling for him.
Jared seemed to speculate her discomfort could be
over some sort of impropriety on Sebastian’s part. She saw his muscles tense as
he said, “Kate, please tell me I don’t have to turn this car around and murder
this Sebastian kid.”
She shook her head. “No, it was fine. I guess we were
kind of on a date. I just wasn’t comfortable with how much he had to drink and
where he wanted to take things.” She gave him a dazzling smile before
continuing with her explanation. “See, you saved me in more ways than one
tonight. My mother is the queen of thank you notes. So, don’t be surprised to
receive one from her that displays her appreciation for keeping her daughter’s
body and chastity safeguarded.”
He gave her a long look and she began to guess at how
terrible she appeared. She hadn’t checked out a mirror in a long time and
Sebastian’s moves on her probably made her resemble someone who recently had a
roll in the hay.
“I should get you home,” he said at last. He was
pulled out of his reverie and began to drive out of the parking lot.
She sank back into the leather seat and relaxed into
the moment. Riding in his personal car in the middle of the night seemed to
heighten the intimacy she felt developing between them. She still felt a buzz
from the alcohol and his closeness was doing strange things to her. Something
was nagging at her and she questioned whether she should disclose anything to
him. Her tongue felt loose and she allowed the words to spill out of her mouth.
After letting out an exaggerated sigh, she whispered, “I had a vision about
you.”
It was silent for a long moment. His voice didn’t
reveal much as he inquired, “You did?”
“It was your first day of kindergarten. You were
dressed in Transformers stuff practically head to toe. You were calling
yourself Optimus Prime.” She giggled loudly as she visualized Jared as a punk
kindergartener.
His silence provoked her to go on and she shut her
eyes to recall the vision. “I saw your mother and she was…” she trailed off
before saying, “beautiful. Like amazingly so—with not one single flaw. You look
like her, you know? Your father was there too and he was snapping pictures of
you and her. You were nervous about school and she got down on her knees and
told you to not worry. Just close your eyes and she would be there holding your
hand.”
Finally opening her eyes, she shifted to face him.
“It felt like she sensed that she would die young. Jared, she wanted you to
remember she’d always be there for you.”
Kate swallowed hard when she saw how upset Jared
looked. His features were tight and the dashboard illuminated moisture in his
eyes. “Jared, I’m sorry…” she started, but her sentiment trailed off when he
pulled the car over to the side of the road suddenly. Looking around, she
realized they were at the end of her street.
He jumped out of the car and placed his hands behind
his head. She watched him pace in front of the hood of the BMW for a minute
before she slowly exited the vehicle. Approaching him cautiously, Kate asked
softly, “Jared? What’s wrong?”
He produced a half laugh and half sobbing sound. “I
don’t know, Kate, everything’s wrong.
I mean, what are you doing here?”
“What do you mean?” she asked leaning against the
hood.
Jared rarely seemed to lose his cool and it made her
apprehensive about how he could be feeling. Was he agitated because of the
vision? Or was he feeling something for her and he didn’t know how to deal with
it?
“I like you, I do,
but maybe we’ve been spending too much time together. It’s probably not a good
idea for us to be as close as we’re becoming,” Jared said without meeting her
eyes.
“I’m sorry I told you about the vision,” she
apologized. As she positioned her body closer to him, she raised her voice in
agitation. “I warned you this would
happen. You’re obviously freaked out that I saw such a cherished memory of your
mother. I would’ve never gone into your head if I could’ve stopped it! My
visions are usually horrible, I only wanted to share with you that you gave me
one of the best ones I ever had.”
“Kate, it’s not about your vision. It’s freaking
incredible that you were able to see my parents as if they were still alive. I
thought it would be fine for us to be friends, but…”
“But you know I want you?” she asked in her most
seductive voice. The way he was protesting made her confident that he was
finding it as impossible as she was to fight off their attraction. Putting her
hands on her hips and sticking out her chest, she was hoping her sudden loss of
inhibitions would pay off with a kiss from him.
Jared stood in front of her and grabbed her by the
shoulders. His eyelids were lowered and he moistened his lips. The pull was
undeniable and it felt completely natural to close her eyes and move to his
mouth for a kiss.
Suddenly, his grip tightened and he said in a husky
voice, “Kate, no.”
Heather
Topham Wood graduated from the College of New Jersey in 2005 and holds a bachelor’s
degree in English. Working full-time as a freelance writer for publications
such as
USA Today,
Livestrong.com, Outlook by the Bay and Step in Style magazine, she writes
fiction novels in
her spare time. She resides in Trenton, New Jersey with her husband and two
sons.
First
Visions is the first novel in the Second Sight Series.
Follow
Heather on Twitter and her blog to keep posted on her upcoming works:
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*Disclosure
of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a
copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have
been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in
exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with
those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This
disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part
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